So that’s what a money market fund looks like!

After last year’s fun and games in the world of money market funds, when it turned out they were not as stable and secure as everyone thought, there is a rush to come up with new classifications, in an attempt to make them less risky and also to make sure everyone agrees on what a money market fund is.

The latest is the UK’s Association of British Insurers, which has created a new category of investment funds: the Treasury & Deposit sector. These can be distinguished from your regular money market fund by the fact that they must be 100 per cent invested in money market instruments (compared to 95 per cent for regular MMFs) and have stability of capital as their over-riding objective.

The ABI definition is supported by the Investment Management Association and was developed in consultation with the Financial Services Authority. So at least there should be some consistency within the UK market.

About the blog

FTfm is no longer updated but it remains open as an archive.

FTfm's specialist writing team offer their insights into the global fund management industry.

About the authors

Pauline Skypala has been editor of FTfm for four years having previously been deputy personal finance editor. She joined the FT in 1999 and has been writing on savings and investment issues throughout her career.

Steve Johnson, FTfm deputy editor, has been a journalist for 17 years, 10 of which have been with the FT.

Sophia Grene, reporter on FTfm, has been a financial journalist in print and online for 12 years.

Ruth Sullivan has worked as a financial/business journalist and foreign correspondent and for the past 10 years has been at the FT.